Living in this hollow world
by White Butterfly
Summary: Separate from 'Sereitei Chronicles', although may contain characters from Soul Society, these drabbles, ficlets and one shots are set in Hueco Mundo. Spoilers apply for recent chapters since 230. Eighth: The deed is done
1. That path in front

**Title: **That path in front

**Character/Pairing:** Rukia, Renji  
**Style: **Drabble  
**Genre: **General  
**Rating: G**  
**Theme: **November 5, 2006, 'white in the moon the long road lies'  
**Spoilers:** For recent manga chapters (230+)

* * *

The wind was whipping the cloak around her, tearing it this way and that as she raced alongside Renji. The path stretched ahead in, straight and narrow as they crossed between worlds.  
Yet again there were rules being broken and authority being skipped around. Yet again they were heading to help people they had known for barely a year, barely any length of time.

Ahead the path stretched on.

She tilted her head to look towards her companion. He was racing on, forehead furrowed in determination, his expression so similar to the one worn by the person they were rushing to join.  
Her head snapped back to focus on the path, her feet continuing to pound against the road they were travelling on.

From Soul Society to the human world to Hueco Mundo.

Not the easiest route to take, but the only one they could.  
The rules were being broken yet again, once more.  
Once again, to help that orange haired teenager.

The path in front shone and shone brightly, leading the way.


	2. The battle rages

**Title: **The battle rages

**Character/Pairing:** The Desert Bros. (Nell Tou, Dondo Chakka, Pesh Gatish, Bawabawa)  
**Style: **Drabble  
**Genre: **General  
**Rating: **G  
**Theme: **October 22, 2006, 'a dark and stormy night'  
**Spoilers:** For recent manga chapters (230+)

* * *

Hueco Mundo never was in complete darkness or light. It had a constant twilight, sometimes darker, sometimes lighter; generally in limbo between the two though. Nothing to differentiate between one time of the day and the other.  
There wasn't any weather either, at the most sandstorms or a dark heavy drizzle.  
And aside from this, the only other disturbance in the desert was the heavy cacophony of battles.

It was almost night one day (or maybe it was two, you never could tell), and although it wasn't dark enough by far it was still late enough to call it that.  
And it was still dark enough to see a camp fire in the middle of the great desert.

It was around this fire the desert brothers were sitting right before Nell's bedtime. Nell's bedtime wasn't particularly early, but the small arrancar still protested that it was far too early to be going to sleep.  
So they were sitting around the fire, Pesh and Dondo keeping Nell amused until she fell asleep.  
Usually this worked fine, but on this night-

"BAWAH! BAWAH!" Bawabawa cried, it's cries almost drowning out the thunderous sound of the battle being waged far away.  
Pesh and Dondo rushed around trying to calm the ginormous Hollow down; Nell frantically running around and trying to do the same thing only not succeeding at the task.

"Bawabawa they are not hurting you! Please calm down!" Pesh gushed, trying to comfort the large beast.

"Wah! Nell knows what Bawa means, Nell scared of being attacked too!" The small arrancar clung to its side, finally stopping running around.

Dondo gently tried to pry Nell from their pet, cajoling her into letting go.  
"Us are the Desert brothers! Us shall not be frightened by anything! Us will be standing strong!" The two brothers struck their part of the pose, holding it for the two who were crying to join in.  
They continued until the two that were crying noticed and joined in, jumping in and out of it and the accompanying exclamation, soon exhausting themselves.

Nell smiled up at the brothers afterwards, sleepy eyed.  
"Nell feel better after that, even though Nell can still hear battle." Nell grinned and leant back against Bawabawa, both falling asleep, now oblivious to the fight being waged at Las Noches.


	3. windsong

**Title: **windsong 

**Character/Pairing:** Inoue Orihime, the rest of Hueco Mundo and the first rescue team  
**Style: **Drabble  
**Genre: **Gen  
**Rating: **PG  
**Spoilers: **Hueco Mundo arc. Duh.  
**Theme:** July 31 [2007 - Our time is running out

* * *

The sand and wind are singing, whistling, outside the white walls of Las Noches. Its high keening is heard by everyone, stirring the blood in their veins.

For the ten tattooed _espada_ it sets their nerves on edge, the particles of sand hitting the fortress eating away at their nerves. The _fraccion_ wait patiently, even more anxious than their masters as they await their orders.

For the five intruders it urges them on; the haunting sound following their footsteps as they race towards their goal.  
The slight breeze tails them, guiding them ever deeper into the honeycomb maze, hoping to reach the centre and the princess waiting there.

For the three former captains of the Gotei 13, it predicts change, each of three interpreting it their own way.  
_The battle has begun; expect the unforseen _and _there will be no mercy._

And for the one, lone human girl, sitting alone in her room, it is something totally different. It carries a tune, a song missing its words yet somehow still imparting the message of being scared and isolated, confined and helpless in a strange land.

Quietly, she sings along with it, recounting how lonely it is to be stolen and locked away, how there is a little bit of her that still believes everything be all right.


	4. fourteen lines

**Title: **fourteen lines

**Character/Pairing:** Kuchiki Rukia, Aaroniero Alulurie as Kaien Shiba  
**Style: **Drabble  
**Genre: **Gen/Action  
**Rating: **PG  
**Spoilers: **Aaroniero fight  
**Theme:** May 23 - I will put Chaos into fourteen lines

* * *

This is a dance.  
One that is filled with intent and the purpose to kill. Small feet move lightly, prancing across a pristine floor. Black interrupts endless white, blue highlights flashing.  
She is a whirling dervish, robes swishing and swirling. Ice sparkles in the air as her breath frosts the space in front of her. Light shines brilliantly off an edge polished to sharpness.

This battle is deadly, the trading of blows and blasts of reiatsu. This is no friendly spar that awakens good memories despite its appearances.

Decide what this fight is for. Is it to protect or is it for honour?  
Do not try to still your heart, it may give you good advice. Swing your blade down decisively.

This is the last one.


	5. In unison

**Title: **In unison

**Character/Pairing:** The Espada, Tousen, Gin, Aizen  
**Style: **Drabble  
**Genre: **General  
**Rating: **PG  
**Theme: **May 16 - we share our mother's health  
**Notes:** This was written before we met about half of the espada, so even if you can guess the first few speakers, the rest will just be a muddle until you reach the end.

* * *

The path we share is paved upon power, the power that we exhibit and can bend to our will.

It is the truth and the right of everything.

With it, we shall rule the world.

This is our birthright. We were born into this power, into this dominion.

It shall be a pleasure to exert it, to see humans writhe under our strength, to see them tortured.

There is no such thing as mercy. Rebellion will be dealt with.

For anything weaker than us is foolish and anything that tries to go against us is even more so.

Nothing could stand in our way, not with our skills and abilities, the diversity we display.

We have a right to act, to move. Our actions will be precise, judged carefully and approved of by our lord.

And with our actions, wrongs will be righted and gross misjudgements retrialed.

Justice will be served.

God will be replaced.

And I will rule from his throne, my creations enforcing my word, correcting the world.  
Together, nothing shall be defected.  
It will be a perfect world.


	6. Funny face

**Title: **Funny face (or why Orihime slapped Ulquiorra)

**Character/Pairing:** Inoue Orihime Ulquiorra Schiffer  
**Style: **Ficlet  
**Genre: **General, lightly fluffy  
**Rating: **PG  
**Theme: **May 30: there is a crack in everything (that's how the light gets in)

* * *

It's funny, Ulquiorra-san is an arrancar, which means his hollow mask has been removed. But he's actually got another one as well and it's not the lobster one on his head. That one is ugly and oh-so-very obvious and that one is the removed hollow mask, which makes me wonder what kind of hollow he was to have a lobster for a head. That one isn't the mask I'm talking about though.  
You can't see it, except maybe when he goes all cold and emotionless and his face goes all dead and then maybe you can see it, but only then, while his face is dead.

It's kind of like how Kurosaki-kun keeps frowning because he doesn't want people to know he cares for them, which is exactly what Tatsuki does sometimes too. Or it's like how Ishida-kun will pretend to be all cool and aloof while he's actually fantasizing about sewing silken gowns for plushies.

I bet he's trying to hide something, like all the others are. Maybe he's like a hybrid mix of Kurosaki and Ishida and doesn't want people to know he actually cares about them and clams up like an oyster to protect that!  
Only... I think it's a bit more serious than that. Or at least it would be if it were true.  
I can't tell if it is or isn't. That second mask isn't cracked.

He's never smiled once, not once after all the times I've smiled at him, tried to make him laugh with my funny stories. There aren't any cracks to look through in that mask of his but I want to see if he is like Kurosaki or Ishida and only hiding and then maybe, maybe, we might be friends.

And maybe, if I could find a crack, or maybe even make one, that'd be the first step.


	7. The deed is done

**Title: **The deed is done

**Character/Pairing:** Aizen Sousuke, Ichimaru Gin  
**Style: **Drabble  
**Genre: **General/speculative, slightly gory  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Theme: **31. I am guilty of it all

* * *

Ichimaru Gin bowed his head in subservience, the silver strands falling easily from his scalp.

"So, the walls have been breached? This is an interesting development, Gin." Aizen lolled his head ever so slightly to the side as he took in his second's information.  
"Are you sure all this information is correct? I would hate for this to be a false alarm or even worse; that we would underestimate their attack. That would be terrible." His tone remained calm as he gazed at his subordinate.

"Indeed it would, Aizen." Again, the silvery head dipped low in subservience, its owner's voice strangely austere. "Howev'r, as far as I know, there's 'nly a couple dozen seated officers. Perhaps as 'n forward attack." Gin popped his trademark grin at his commander, his subservient facade still raised.

"Very well then." Aizen appeared to jerk back to attention, his posture no longer slumped to one side as he sat up. "Tell the second group that they can attack the intruders. I might watch the battle from the surveillance room. I assume that Tousen has been told of this development?" He rose from his throne, slowly descending from it towards his vice-captain.

"No," Gin similarly rose, meeting Aizen and his gaze, "he hasn't." The snaky man's eyes flicked open, their blood red reflecting the scene in front of him as the traitor of Soul Society crumpled back onto his throne. "Tousen was rath'r busy when I left him," he grinned, eyes not visible any more as they curled up, "an' it looks as if you'll be too f'r a while."

There was a swishing, slithering sound as Gin pulled back; Shinsou sheathed as his eyes were, though his gaze swept over the regal setting in front of him and his zanpakuto did not.

"So sorry I won' be able to help ya wi' that, I've got a someone ta meet. Even if it 'tis jus' outside a bit." He lingered a while, eyes looking at the wonderous beauty of marred pure white before he strode off to the doors, scuffles and shouts faintly heard through them, red searching for blue.


	8. Betrayal

**Title: **Betrayal

**Character/Pairing:** Ichimaru Gin/Matsumoto Rangiku  
**Style: **Drabble  
**Genre: **General/speculative  
**Rating: **PG+  
**Theme: **25. what defeats people is a double confession  
**Notes:** Mini sequel to 'The deed is done'

* * *

He had slidden in behind her again, like so many times he had before while she was training, still in the Academy. Her blood had frozen, iced over like prey in the stare of a snake, as his voice had slipped around and coiled itself into her mind.

"Been waitin' so long f'r you."

Dread flushed through her system, anticipating that cold sting of metal pushing through her and letting her life leak from the wound left.

"Really missed ya."

His hand once again wrapped around her wrist, guiding it back into an attack posture before whipping it back and out behind her, those lips ghosting over them. The other arm whipped in front of her and she expected the metallic warmth of Shinsou slicing across her neck before vision faded and she was lost from memory.  
However, the warmth of an arm was what brushed across her neck, swinging her around to a sincerely smiling facade, it's expression going further than skin deep.

"An' I'm so sorry."

Memories of her training days came flooding through again as a hand smoothed through her hair and a voice soothed,  
"So, so, so sorry."

Her face was pressed close to his chest and she could hear the beating of his heart, smell the dry dusty tang that had hung around him since Rukongai and taste the sweat coming off his skin as he held her close, their attacks forgotten.

"Sorry tha' I betray'd ya. Sorry tha' I lost ya love fer me."

Back muscles were soothed as he ran his hand around in circles, softly apologising for all he had done, his scent comforting as he uttered his apologies, one after the other, endless.

"Sorry, bu' this was the 'nly way."

Feathery lips kissed her hair and she raised her eyes to meet his closed ones, before stuttering and falling faint in his arms.

"This was the 'nly way, the 'nly way I coul' keep ya."

Gin departed that room, his love swept in his arms, leaving his treachery; the iron scented miasma behind.


End file.
